Preferably modules spm2320 and spm2932, or epa1311 for EPA students. Students from other faculties: knowledge and experience with discrete event simulation and tools.

Course Contents

Object oriented simulation will be the core topic of the course. After an intensive training in object oriented modeling and Java programming, the inner working of simulation environments will be illustrated based on the D-SOL simulation environment. Several special topics will be taught, such as distributed and real-time simulation, and component-based simulation. This material will be illustrated in intensive and interactive courses in which the material will partly be prepared and presented by the students. Several other simulation environments will be studied by groups of students. An extensive modeling project in D-SOL will be carried out in groups. This course requires an active participation of the students.

Study Goals

After taking this course the student will have knowledge about: - internal working of different kinds of discrete event simulation languages and environments; - underlying theories and formalisms of discrete event simulation, such as DEVS and DESS; - important differences and similarities between simulation environments; - examples of successful and less successful simulation studies and the learning experiences of those studies; - object-oriented simulation environments; - the ability to reuse model parts by developing domain specific building blocks; - structure and abilities of distributed simulation; the concept of HLA; - latest research activities in the field of simulation, with research topics like web-based simulation, real-time control using simulation, agent based modelling and simulation in special domains like business process modelling;

After following this course, the student will be able to: - develop object oriented conceptual models; - develop object-oriented simulation models; - develop building block oriented simulation models; - use different discrete event simulation environments for different kinds of problems.

Education Method

Lectures about simulation theoryGuest lectures on special topicsIntensive training of D-SOL simulation environmentElective training of the Java programming languageLectures by students on special topicsSet of problems to be modelled in D-SOL simulation environment

Computer Use

The main simulation environment that will be used is D-SOL, which is Java based. Students will work with Java in the Eclipse development environment.In addition, a number of the following packages will be used: Plant Simulation, Enterprise Dynamics, Automod, Witness, ProModel, Extend, Anyloigic, Flexsim, TOMAS and other JAVA-based simulation environments. This course aims to prepare students for a final thesis or a career in which simulation will play an important role.

Literature and Study Materials

Reader spm9322 and tutorials of simulation tools. Most material is also available on Blackboard. Tutorials and additional literature can be found in the library and the computer laboratory (SimLab).

Assessment

The mark for this course will be based on the result of group assignments, on the quality of the courses that are taught by the students, and on an oral exam after all assignments have been handed in with a high enough quality.

Special Information

Remark: The code of this course used to be spm9309.

Extra Skills Trained

Java programming language for those who do not have any skills in Java.